Law School

The hallmarks of the Penn Law experience are a cross-disciplinary, globally-focused legal education taught by our preeminent faculty. Students enjoy a vibrant and collegial community in which graduates are prepared to navigate an increasingly complex world as leaders and influential decision-makers. Our faculty, a renowned group of scholars in every major area of law, defines Penn Law's intellectual vitality. More than half of the standing faculty hold advanced degrees beyond the JD, and nearly 50 percent have secondary appointments or affiliations with other departments at the University. Penn Law faculty members’ accessibility and engagement with students create a dynamic learning environment, and the school’s distinctive reputation as a small, supportive, and rigorous place for the study of law attracts some of the nation's most competitive students. Unique among top law schools, our students truly own their educational experiences, actively contributing to a collaborative and supportive environment where they learn to solve problems while developing critical professional skills.

Mission

At Penn Law, we believe that the next generation of lawyers will be those who are not just superbly trained in law, but also have training in related fields — such as business, communications, health, technology, international studies, social work, and education — that complement and enhance their legal expertise.

Our faculty are leaders in law and other cutting-edge disciplines, and our integrative curriculum reflects our commitment to the pursuit of cross-disciplinary learning.

In addition, our position as an essential part of the University of Pennsylvania, one of the world’s leading premier research universities, allows our students to enrich their cross-disciplinary legal education by enrolling in graduate level courses at one of our sister schools or pursuing a joint degree or certificate of study.

Penn Law’s academic programs are fully integrated with the professional and graduate schools on campus, providing students with an unparalleled opportunity to prepare for careers that engage virtually every major issue facing our society.

Integrative Curriculum

Our integrative curriculum ensures that students have an uniquely interdisciplinary experience - without ever leaving the Law School. However, the Law School’s partnerships with its world-class sister schools offer opportunities to build even deeper inroads in complementary fields by enrolling in graduate level courses or pursuing a Joint Degree and/or Certificate of Study. As part of the University of Pennsylvania, one of the world’s preeminent research institutions, Penn Law is the only top law school with as many elite professional schools and departments as proximate to each other on campus and as intellectually connected and seamlessly integrated into the curriculum.

Faculty

Approximately 70 percent of faculty members hold degrees beyond the JD, and nearly half hold secondary appointments or affiliations with other Penn professional schools, departments, or centers.

Accordingly, Penn Law students experience an extraordinary faculty whose depth and breadth of intellectual interests and scholarly achievements are matched by their commitment to teaching excellence. Diverse in philosophy, approach and background, Penn Law faculty members create a vibrant and welcoming intellectual community.

A low student-to-faculty ratio and an open-door policy permit students to work directly with faculty members on projects at the heart of their varied scholarly and career interests.

Philadelphia’s central location between New York City and Washington, D.C. also enables us to attract top governmental leaders, members of the judiciary, practicing attorneys, and business leaders as adjuncts and lecturers to supplement our core curriculum and present a variety of special lectures and symposia.

Public Service

Public service has always been an essential feature of legal education at Penn Law. Our school was among the first institutions to require all students to complete 70 hours of public service before graduation. In 2000 Penn Law was the first school to ever receive the ABA’s Pro Bono Publica Award.

The Toll Public Interest Center (TPIC) is the hub of public service at Penn Law. TPIC oversees the Penn Law pro bono program, facilitating a wide array of pro bono and public service opportunities that focus on impactful service, personal enrichment, and professional skill development.